Interlocking brace for louver blades



April 14, 1959 E. c. HALLOCK 2,881,484

INTERLOCKING BRACE FOR LOUVER BLADES Filed March 27, 1958 INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEYS it d States P en 2,881,484 INTERLOCKING BRACE FOR LOUVER BLADES Edward C. Hallock, Summit, NJ. Applicafion March 27, 1958, Serial No. 724,311 Claims. (CI. 20-63) This invention relates to improvements in louvers for windows, ventilating openings and the like in building structures and it relates particularly, to an improved form of brace for supporting louver blades on such building structures.

Louvers are quite commonly used at the present time in-building structures for shading the windows thereof and for. protecting or shielding ventilating openings, the condensers or cooling towers of air conditioning appali'atus and for ornamental purposes. Many of such louvers are 30 or 40 or more feet long and are made up of blades formed of extruded aluminum of selected widths and, ornamental appearances.

Heretofore, it has been necessary to interrupt the continuity of the louver with mullions between which relatively short lengths of thelouver blades are mounted. such mullions are necessary for the reason that the blades are inherently flexible and can be damaged by wind or other forces when used in long unsupported lengths. However, the mullions interrupt the continuity of the span of louvers and frequently detract from the overall effect sought in utilizing the louvers as a feature of-the building design and structure. Moreover, inclusion of the mullions increases the cost of the louver installation since it is necessary to fit the blades relatively tightly betweenthe mullions and to secure them individually to the mullions by means of screws, rivets or the like. 'These operations are time consuming and require skilled labor. Kiln accordance with the present invention, a supportbracket is provided which does away with the need for supporting mullions and jambs and is capable of supporting long louver blades against damage or displacement by the wind and other forces. Moreover, the new brace provides an inconspicuous and convenient means for connecting louver blades in end-toend relation and supporting them with capacity for relative expansion and contraction under changing temperature conditions.

More particularly, the new louver brace comprises an angle member which can be secured to a building or other structure spanned by the louver and which has elements for interlocking engagement with the louver blades to hold them firmly in position, but nevertheless enabling the blades to be detached or disconnected from the brace for repair or replacement, if necessary. The elements for locking the blades to the brace embodying the present invention enable a blade to be attached to the brace or braces without the use of tools or any special skill, so that substantially unobstructed spans of louver blades of great length can be assembled and supported with a minimum of difliculty and expense.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a front elevational view of a pair of louver blades connected by means of a brace of the type embodying the present invention;

, 2,881,484 Patented Apr. 14, 1959 Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the louver blade fixed to the brace;

Figure 3 is a view in cross-section through a blade and a brace embodying the present invention with the blade in a position to be connected to or disconnected from the brace; and

Figure 4 is a view in cross-section through a portion of a modified blade and brace showing a connecting clip therefor.

Louver structures to which the present invention relates are made up of a plurality of inclined parallel louver blades mounted in a supporting frame. As illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, a typical louver blade 10 may consist of an elongated strip of aluminum, aluminum alloy or other material which has a central web portion 11, a reversely curved web portion 12 and a parallel upper panel 13, the ofiset arrangement of the elements of the blade imparting rigidity to the blade and giving it a unique ornamental appearance. At the upper and lower edges of the blade 10 are flanges 14 and 15 which are generally parallel and at an obtuse angle to the web portion 11. These flanges carry related flange portions 16 and 17. The shape of the louver blade is unimportant and can be varied widely as the purpose demands.

On the reverse or back side of the blade 10 near .the flange 14 is formed a O-shaped rib 18 which serves as a reinforcing member, as ornamentation, and also to receive screws for securing one or both ends of the blade in a supporting frame. The O-shaped rib has a downwardly opening groove 19 therein which cooperates with the brace 20 in accordance with the present invention to enable the blade to be secured to the brace. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the brace 20 is an angle member formed of a pair of angularly related plate sections 21 and 22. Screw holes 23 are formed in the plate section 22 to enable it to be attached to a portion of a building strucutre 24 such as a window frame or jamb or an upright portion of a building structure. Lower plate section 21 is inclined at slightly more than a 90 angle to the backplate portion 22 and carries at its outer free end a downwardly and upwardly curved flange 25 of C-shaped or generally concave-convex cross-section. An outer free end 26 on the flange faces upwardly generally in the same direction as the plate portion 22. The flange 25 is curved to fit around the C-shaped rib 18' on the blade 10 with the end 26 of the flange engaging in the groove 19 in the rib 18. The flange 25 and the rib 18 are relatively rotatable so that the blade can be rocked to the position shown in Figure 3. With the louver blade 10 in the position shown in Figure 3, the rib 18 can be engaged with or disengaged from the flange 25. Accordingly, when a blade 10 is to be attached to the brace 20, the blade is positioned as shown in Figure 3 so that the rib 18 can drop into the flange 25 and then the blade is rocked clockwise to the position shown in Figure 2. In this position, the bead 18 cannot be withdrawn through the gap between the free end 26 of the flange and the edge of the plate portion 21 because this gap is narrower than the diameter of the rib 18.

Flange 17 on the louver blade is adapted to engage beneath the laterally projecting flange 27 on the upper edge of the plate section 23 of the brace. To enable the flange 17 to engage beneath the flange 27 it is necessary to spring the bottom plate section 21 downwardly, then push the flange 17 under the flange 27 and lift it up so that the rib 28 on the flange 17 snaps into the groove 29 in the inner surface of the flange 27. In this position, the blade 10 is firmly locked to the brace 20 and can be disengaged from it only by the application of considerable force downwardly and inwardly against the portion of the blade below the bead 18. Upward 3 forces ag ainst the blade and forces directed against the portion of the blade above the bead or rib 18 cannot release the blade from the brace.

It will be understood that the brace 20 can be located any place along the length of a louver blade where the brace 20 can be mounted on the building structure and that one or more braces can be used to hold long uninterrupted blades against flexing and deformation by exterior forces. Inasmuch as the height of the brace is considerably less than the width of the blade 1i) and the braces are disposed behind the blades, they are invisible from in front of the louvers, thereby enabling long uninterrupted spans of louvers to be provided in building structures. Also, as shown in Figure 1, a brace 20 of the type embodying the present invention can be used for connecting two louver blades and 30 in end-toend relation while permitting relative sliding movement to compensate for expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature and the like.

While, as indicated above, there is very little possibility of the blade becoming accidentally unlocked from the brace 20, especially after they have been assembled for a period of time and the engaging parts have oxidized somewhat, a retaining and edge trim clip 31 of the type shown in Figure 4 may be used if desired. The clip 31- is of U-shaped cross-section and is provided with internal notches 32 and 33 for receiving correspondingly shaped ribs 34 and 35 on the flanges 17' and 27' of the blade 10 and brace 20'. While two ribs 34 and 35 and two grooves 32 and 33 are illustrated, one of the grooves and ribs can be omitted if desired inasmuch as the clip 31 will be retained firmly in position with only one interlocking rib and groove. Moreover, the parts may be reversed, that is, the clip 31 may be provided with one or more internal ribs for engaging in complemental grooves in the flanges 17' and 27'. The clips may extend the entire length of the blades thereby efiiectively concealing the flanges 17' and 27' and giving the louver a more massive appearance.

It will be understood that the braces 20 may be made of appropriate materials such as, for example, aluminum or aluminum alloys, or other metals, or plastic materials, depending upon the conditions of their use and they may be made in various sizes depending upon the size of the blade or louver structure with which they are used.

The braces can be formed by extruding or otherwise forming a long strip having the cross-section shown in v 4 Figures 2 and 3, then cutting the strip transversely into. individual braces of a desired width: A typical brace may be on the order of two to four inches wide.

Inasmuch as braces embodying the present invention are susceptible to considerable modification depending upon the type of louver blades and the louver structure with which they are used, the examples of the invention disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative.

Iclaim: 1. A louver structure comprising at least one louver blade having an angularly-related flange at one longitudinal edge, a rib extending lengthwise of saidblade in spaced relation to said flange; said rib having a groove therein having an open side facing away from said flange, a brace having a pair of angularly-related plate portions each having an outer free edge, means on one of said free edges engaging the outside of said rib and extending into said groove, said blade being rockable to one position to attach it to said means and to another position to detach it from said means, and a flange on the other free edge of said brace overlying said blade'flan'ge when said blade is rocked to said one position, and releasably engageable means on said flangesfor retaining said blade in said one position. v p x 2. The louver structure set forth in claim 1 in which said rib has a substantially semicylindrical outer surface and said means comprises an arcuate portion on said free edge complemental to and receiving said rib rock ably and extending into said groove in said one position. 3. The louver structure set forth in claim 1 in which said releasably engageable means on said fiange'coinprises a rib extending lengthwise of one of said flanges and a recess extending lengthwise of the other of said flanges for receiving said rib on said one flange when said blade is in said one position. a 4. The louver structure set forth in claim 1 in which said brace is of less length than said louver blade. 4,

5. The louver structure set forth in claim 1 including a clip of U-shaped cross-section receiving said flanges and clamping them together, and interengaging means on said clip and at least one of said flanges for them together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,657,625 Hoal Jan. 31, 1927 2,797,452 Vetere July 2, 1957 2,814,079 Van Fleet et a] NOV. 26, 1957 

